Sen. Manny Pacquiao is "burning his bridges" with President Rodrigo Duterte's PDP-Laban when he pointed to alleged corruption in government, a party official who is pushing for the chief executive's candidacy for vice president said Tuesday.
Duterte earlier called out Pacquiao for his corruption statement and dared the boxer-turned-lawmaker to prove it, or else, the President said he would expose the senator as a "liar".
Alfonso Cusi, who also serves as Duterte's energy secretary, said it was really "unfortunate" that Pacquiao, PDP-Laban's acting president, supposedly made such claims against the President.
"The way I look at it, he (Pacquiao) is burning his bridges, he is burning his house," he told ANC. "Hindi naman siguro tama yun na sarili mong bahay, susunugin mo."
In his televised address on Monday night, Duterte dared Pacquiao to name corrupt government offices, or he will campaign against him in the 2022 elections. The boxer-turned-politician is reported to be running for president next year.
"I put you on notice. Isasabi ko lahat at kakalabanin kita (sa) panahon ng eleksyon. Kapag hindi, you'll just be another son of a b*** playing politics," Duterte told Pacquiao.
Pacquiao has been at odds with some members of the PDP-Laban party. He earlier called on his partymates to boycott the May 31 national council meeting which Duterte himself directed Cusi to preside over.
"Sabi nga namin, when I was working in a corporation, if you don't like the company you're working for, don't say something about it, lumayas ka muna bago mo sunugin ang bahay mo," Cusi said.
Cusi said he would not advise Pacquiao to leave the party, as it is a matter he should decide on his own.
"I think he should discern. Sabi nga namin dito, he must have been ill-advised, misinformed, and I think it's best that he discusses that with the party leaders para maliwanagan ang lahat, and then he can make his decision," he added.
Cusi said PDP-Laban would push through with its national assembly on July 17 even without Pacquiao, who earlier said he would not attend the meeting.
The energy secretary, however, said it was not part of the meeting's agenda to "oust" Pacquiao as acting PDP-Laban president, but he said an election could take place.
"The party constitution allows only a two-year term for the position of president and below. So yes there might be an election on July 17," he said.
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